Almost free! One day presentation skills course for the terrified. Normally £300.... one place at £50.00 for tomorrow in London (9th June). Call 07930 399 121.

Sloganise yourself!

Happy New Year.  The festivities are over and we start to get back to normal.  My thoughts for this entry then are to encourage you to refuse normality.   Normal is the same thing as it was.   Be different!  Decide on some goals, and using the sporting slogan - Just do it! You know it makes sense! A bit at a time, everylittle helps.  Ok, I will stop the slogans for now but the point is made.  I am not talking about resolutions that are made because of tradition, broken because that's what you do with them.  I refer instead to a positive, life-changing decision to undertake a new task, activity or other venture that will benefit you.  Of course it might be learning to speak in public, and you will want to talk to us about that.  But it might be something completely different from that. A new sport, reading more books, getting some coaching to improve your hobby, getting more/less sleep.   Whatever you have been putting off, now is a good time to bring it to the fore. Make 2011 a year that you can look back on and say - "I just did it, and did it well".
Have a really good year. Ian.

Christmas really is earlier!

How do I know that Christmas is early?  Because the world near me has stopped because of snow. Traditionally this is something that happens in February it at all, so my mother's prediction that the world tilted after they landed on the moon might be correct after all!
Snow is fascinating to watch.  Boy racers buckling wheels as they find out they don't know everything after all, the stupid spinning wheels faster and faster and of course the smug 4*4 owners who for one or two days out of the whole year actually have a use for four wheel drive....if only they could remember how to select it.
As for us?  Warm in the office, catching up on paperwork with phones quiet as hometime begins to start from lunch onwards.  Happy Easter to you all!
Ian
PS... short of a Xmas Present?  Try a CD from http://www.londonhypnosis.org.uk/

No immunity from life!

Step forward all those who are perfect.   Please avoid the rush!  Being the trainer, being the service provider if you like does not make you immune from life itself.  The last bit my friend Jon sent me and it makes a lot of sense. I learn from everything I do, try to do and watch others do.  Anyone who is genuinely a 'good' speaker will know that this is something that is achieved through ongoing work.  Like the silverplate - it needs polishing, dusting and inspecting. If there is one thing I hope it is that I will never be arrogant enough to think I know it all.  I enjoy learning from my own efforts and from others.  Whatever you are good at, always try and find more learning opportunities, more challenges and be prepared to listen and accept that there are areas waiting for improvement.

My friend Jon was talking about hypnosis at the time. He was encouraging therapists to always accept that they need time for themselves as well as time for others. Use the words, the concept and apply it to anything that makes sense to you.   If you look after you, you will look after others better. 
Happy weekend!
Ian

Sometimes the time is now! And now is just the time to talk to us about a special discount. In a time of sales and cuts, it makes sense to take advantage. Improve your skills with a fantastic training course at a special price. Pick up the phone.

Sparkle, eat, bang and enjoy!

After two weekends of fireworks, I have struggled hard to keep the obvious metaphors in check. I have failed! I am sure most of you went and saw the boring rocket that suddenly exploded; the big start that fizzled out; and the general mix of disappointing, occasional bright sparks and damp squids.


One of the older acronyms is BikerB. The two Bs are begin and end with a bang - make an impact. There is some measure of good advice in there. I believe strongly in the good first impression, and it is certainly true that openings and endings are more likely to be recalled by the audience. There is no excuse though for weak content. All of the speech should be crafted, honed and strengthened. Consider a meal. A good starter and sweet is great. If the main course is badly prepared and tasteless, then the whole meal is ruined and that is the experience that is remembered. My advice then is to ensure your speech takes off strongly, displays a full and interesting main course before ending with a bang. For the pedants – yes the metaphors are mixed, but the sometimes the result is worth it!

Treat or Treat

As the pumpkins are put away along with the costumes, here is a special offer. You can save the increase in VAT, and have an additional discount from 15% up to 25% by booking an in-house course between now and the end of the year. Double discount - a treat on top of a treat!
Courses in December also get an additional free gift. Take advantage now - treat yourself!